by Chuck Sommers
Wednesday, Dec 29, 2021
Game time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Venue: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
Where to watch: NBC
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Packers -6.5; O/U 47.5; Packers -290, Vikings +230
BetMGM: Packers -6.5; O/U 47.5; Packers -278, Vikings +225
Caesars: Packers -6.5; O/U 47.5; Packers -294, Vikings +235
Season record
Vikings: 7-8 (2nd place, NFC North)
Packers: 12-3 (1st place, NFC North)
It was a good seven days for Will Rogers going 5-3-0 after what was an uncertain week of make-or-break games. Two weeks left in the regular season before the fun begins. You should be at the ready at all times. Catch Will’s plays available right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers.
Vikings - Packers preview and analysis
Last week
Vikings: lost 30-23 vs. Rams
Packers: won 24-22 vs. Browns (Saturday)
You watch the Green Bay Packers pull off a Christmas miracle like they did Saturday against the Cleveland Browns and you find yourself asking if they're ever going to lose again this season.
The Packers somehow found a way to win and continue their grip of the No. 1 seed in the NFC. They'll look to put a tighter grip on that positioning on Sunday Night Football when they host the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau.
The fate for the Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams or Tampa Bay Buccaneers of somehow overtaking Green Bay and having home-field advantage throughout the playoffs rests in the hands of the Vikings or, if necessary, the Detroit Lions next week.
But the name of the game for the Packers is win by any means necessary. They did that on Christmas, surviving a 24-22 win against the Cleveland Browns and narrowly escaped despite four interceptions from Baker Mayfield.
Aaron Rodgers became the Packers' all-time leader in passing touchdowns with three against Cleveland, putting his total to 445 in his likely hall-of-fame career. He threw for just 202 yards, but the Packers' defense bailed him out with four interceptions on Mayfield.
"We've got to do a better job of closing games out," Rodgers said. "Our defense has closed out a lot of games, the last two weeks stopping that 2-point conversion (in the 1-point win against the Baltimore Ravens) and Rasul (Douglas) coming up with that big pick. It's nerve racking, but winning is difficult in this league."
You watch the Green Bay Packers pull off a Christmas miracle like they did Saturday against the Cleveland Browns and you find yourself asking if they're ever going to lose again this season.
The Packers somehow found a way to win and continue their grip of the No. 1 seed in the NFC. They'll look to put a tighter grip on that positioning on Sunday Night Football when they host the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau.
The fate for the Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams or Tampa Bay Buccaneers of somehow overtaking Green Bay and having home-field advantage throughout the playoffs rests in the hands of the Vikings or, if necessary, the Detroit Lions next week.
But the name of the game for the Packers is win by any means necessary. They did that on Christmas, surviving a 24-22 win against the Cleveland Browns and narrowly escaped despite four interceptions from Baker Mayfield.
Aaron Rodgers became the Packers' all-time leader in passing touchdowns with three against Cleveland, putting his total to 445 in his likely hall-of-fame career. He threw for just 202 yards, but the Packers' defense bailed him out with four interceptions on Mayfield.
"We've got to do a better job of closing games out," Rodgers said. "Our defense has closed out a lot of games, the last two weeks stopping that 2-point conversion (in the 1-point win against the Baltimore Ravens) and Rasul (Douglas) coming up with that big pick. It's nerve racking, but winning is difficult in this league."
Rodgers surpassed Brett Favre's mark of 442 touchdowns and is the only player this season with at least 20 touchdown passes and less than five interceptions; Rodgers has thrown only one interception in the last nine weeks and hasn't thrown two in a game since Week 1.
Even in the last meeting against the Vikings on Nov. 21, Rodgers threw for a season-high 385 yards and four touchdowns at U.S. Bank Stadium. But it was a 34-31 loss to the Vikings decided by a last-second field goal by Greg Joseph.
It wasn't on par with Rodgers that day, but Kirk Cousins still did his part throwing for 341 yards and three touchdowns with two going to Justin Jefferson. Minnesota is coming off a 30-23 loss at home to the Los Angeles Rams that put a dent into their last-ditch playoff hopes.
Cousins threw his fourth interception in three games despite throwing for 315 yards and a touchdown. Jefferson caught eight of those passes for 116 yards to continue his Pro Bowl season, but the offense didn't do enough in the end.
"We definitely let them down. I felt like they played a tremendous game, especially with those three turnovers. We've got to find a way to get in the end zone," Jefferson said.
Even in the last meeting against the Vikings on Nov. 21, Rodgers threw for a season-high 385 yards and four touchdowns at U.S. Bank Stadium. But it was a 34-31 loss to the Vikings decided by a last-second field goal by Greg Joseph.
It wasn't on par with Rodgers that day, but Kirk Cousins still did his part throwing for 341 yards and three touchdowns with two going to Justin Jefferson. Minnesota is coming off a 30-23 loss at home to the Los Angeles Rams that put a dent into their last-ditch playoff hopes.
Cousins threw his fourth interception in three games despite throwing for 315 yards and a touchdown. Jefferson caught eight of those passes for 116 yards to continue his Pro Bowl season, but the offense didn't do enough in the end.
"We definitely let them down. I felt like they played a tremendous game, especially with those three turnovers. We've got to find a way to get in the end zone," Jefferson said.
This is the problem we run into with the Vikings. Cousins can put up the yards -- he has 39 games of 300-plus yards since 2015, which is third most in the NFL -- and needs just 29 for his sixth-career 4,000-yard season. But one touchdown, even against a defense the caliber of the Rams, is disappointing.
If Cousins can't replicate that performance from a month ago and put the ball in the end zone, the Vikings don't have a chance.
If Cousins can't replicate that performance from a month ago and put the ball in the end zone, the Vikings don't have a chance.
Prediction
The underdog has covered in the last four meetings, which obviously bodes well for the Vikings. Minnesota took the last meeting by 6 points and did so as 5.5-point dogs. The number is slightly higher, but take the Vikings at your own risk. You have to really believe in Cousins for an all-important game, in the cold, in primetime. Packers by 7
Betting trends
The Vikings are 14-12 ATS on the road over the past three seasons.
The Vikings are 39-34 ATS since 1992 off a home loss.
The Packers are 77-49 ATS since 1992 while a home favorite of 7 points or less.
The under is 6-0 for the Packers this season off three or more straight victories.
Players to watch
Vikings: Linebacker Anthony Barr had his first two-interception game last week and had 10 tackles the last time out against Green Bay.
Packers: Running back Aaron Jones is one of two running backs this season with 1,000 yards from scrimmage and at least 10 touchdowns. Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans, who has not played in almost two months, is the other.
Statistical leaders
Vikings:
Passing: Kirk Cousins -- 3,971 yards, 30 TD, 7 INT
Rushing: Dalvin Cook -- 1,067 yards, 6 TD
Receiving: Justin Jefferson -- 1,451 yards, 9 TD
Defense: D.J. Wonnum -- 6 sacks
Packers:
Passing: Aaron Rodgers -- 3,689 yards, 33 TD, 4 INT
Rushing: Aaron Jones -- 723 yards, 4 TD
Receiving: Davante Adams -- 1,362 yards, 10 TD
Defense: Rasul Douglas -- 5 INT
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
